Through the opening weeks of the NHIAA boys’ basketball season, little has separated the top teams in the preseason rankings from the rest of the pack.
Portsmouth has looked strong in its opening three games against NHIAA competition, and Bedford has begun its state title defense with two single-digit wins against quality opponents.
As for the teams behind those two, the rankings could’ve gone in any number of directions. Some teams which started higher have taken early hits, such as Trinity, which was upset by Winnacunnet, and Keene, which has dropped two of its first three games.
The biggest riser from the preseason poll was Pinkerton, which vaulted from No. 7 to No. 3 after starting the season 5-0 — though granted, its schedule will get harder in January. The only new addition is Hollis-Brookline, which has logged two impressive wins against quality opponents and has the makings of an early favorite in Division 2.
Here are our latest rankings as the season enters full swing in January.
1. Portsmouth (3-2)
Previous ranking: 1
Next game: vs. Winnacunnet, Jan. 2, 6:30 p.m.
The top-ranked team in the preseason has started strong against NHIAA competition, earning impressive wins over No. 6 Bishop Guertin, 81-54, and against No. 5 Exeter, 65-52. The star duo of sophomore forward Derek Swartz (16.3 points per game) and senior guard Isaiah Reis (15.3 points per game) has been leading the way so far, with Reis picking up a season-high 22 points against Bishop Guertin. Portsmouth dropped two out-of-state matchups in the BABC Holiday Showcase, including falling 87-56 to Brookline, Mass., after getting outscored by 26 points in the second half.
HOME SWEET HOME: Standouts from Portsmouth's season-opening win over Bishop Guertin
2. Bedford (3-0)
Previous ranking: 3
Next game: vs. Manchester Central, Jan. 2, 7 p.m.
The reigning state champions have begun their title defense on a strong note, with the star senior guard duo of Landon Ellsmore (17.7 points per game) and Logan O’Connell (17.3 points per game) each performing up to their high expectations. The team has pulled out to two competitive wins against quality opponents: first against No. 5 Trinity, 79-73, in the opener, and against No. 6 Bishop Guertin, 57-51, on Dec. 19. Sophomore guard Luke O’Connell, Logan’s younger brother, has had an impressive start, posting 14 points against Trinity and 15 against Bishop Guertin.
3. Pinkerton (5-0)
Previous ranking: 7
Next game: at Alvirne, Jan. 2, 6:30 p.m.
Pinkerton has already matched its win total from all of last year, a good sign that the program is trending back towards its usual standards following a rare down season. Senior guard Brady Sullivan (19.4 points per game) has been as-advertised as one of the state’s premier scorers, highlighted by a 38-point performance against Windham on Dec. 23. Adding depth is sophomore guard Josh Phanor (14.8 points per game) and senior guard Wilson Youssef (12.0 points per game). Pinkerton has notched close wins against some of the better teams it has faced — winning by single digit margins against Nashua South, Windham, and Salem — and it will have a major test on Jan. 6 against No. 2 Bedford.
4. Trinity (1-2)
Previous ranking: 2
Next game: vs. Dover, Jan. 2, 6:30 p.m.
It’s been a slow start for Trinity, which still gets the benefit of the doubt in these rankings after only a three-game sample size. The team started off with a 79-73 defeat to No. 2 Bedford, but then suffered a 45-30 upset loss to Winnacunnet, which had been riding an 11-game losing streak dating back to last season. Junior guard Jordan Torres is expected to be Trinity’s go-to scoring option, but has averaged just 8.7 points per game so far — granted, the sample remains incredibly small. Senior guard Xander McBournie has led the scoring efforts so far at 11.0 points per game, including a team-high 17 points in the loss to Bedford.
5. Exeter (2-1)
Previous ranking: 8
Next game: at Concord, Jan. 2, 6:30 p.m.
Exeter’s elite size and depth should keep the team competitive against almost any team in the state, as evidenced in wins to open the season against Salem and Londonderry and a competitive 13-point loss to No. 1 Pinkerton. There are a number of pieces capable of leading the team in scoring each night, and senior forward Huxley Brown (15.0 points per game) has stepped up so far with double-digit point totals in each of the team’s three contests.
6. Bishop Guertin (1-2)
Previous ranking: 5
Next game: vs. Nashua North, Jan. 2, 6:30 p.m.
Bishop Guertin’s 1-2 record so far hasn’t provided much to go off, given its two losses have come against No. 1 Portsmouth and No. 2 Bedford — which was just a six-point defeat — and its lone win came in a 97-42 romp of Concord. Senior guard Connor McGowan has started strong, pouring in 34 points in the season-opening win over Concord and posting 30 against Portsmouth in the losing effort. Bishop Guertin’s front-loaded schedule continues with tough matchups coming against No. 4 Trinity on Jan. 6, and No. 3 Pinkerton on Jan. 13.
7. Nashua South (1-1)
Previous ranking: 6
Next game: at Keene, Jan. 2, 6:30 p.m.
Nashua South opened the season with a 48-41 win over Goffstown and then dropped a tight game to No. 3 Pinkerton, with more tests coming against Keene and Trinity in the first two weeks of January. Junior forward Daniel Karavanic offers elite versatility and mobility in his 6-foot-7 frame, and he’s posted double-digit scoring outputs in the team’s first two contests. Junior forward Francisco Rodriguez was pegged as a breakout candidate by coach Nate Mazerolle in the preseason, and he looked the part in a 22-point showing against Pinkerton.
8. Hollis-Brookline (3-0)
Previous ranking: NR
Next game: at Plymouth, Jan. 2, 6 p.m.
Not much separated Division’s 2 top teams on paper entering the season, but Hollis-Brookline has proved itself early on with wins over fellow contenders Pelham and Pembroke — with the latter in dominant fashion. The team returned its top three scorers from last season, and junior guard James Arthur (20.3 points per game) and senior center Alton Williams (18.0 points per game) have headlined the early success.
9. Keene (1-2)
Previous ranking: 4
Next game: vs. Nashua South, Jan. 2, 6:30 p.m.
After reaching the state title game last season, expectations remained relatively high for Keene, which remained a veteran-laden group despite graduating three starters. The team started slow with a 48-47 loss at Salem on Dec. 12 and a 48-39 defeat to Manchester Memorial on Dec. 15, before rebounding for a 68-38 triumph over Alvirne on Dec. 18. The team will ride on the play of two-way star guard Jamal Stanley, who is averaging a team-best 13.7 points per game. Senior guard Kasen Abbott, the team’s other returning starter, stepped up with a team-high 18 points in the win over Alvirne.
10. Windham (3-1)
Previous ranking: 10
Next game: at Exeter, Jan. 6, 6:30 p.m.
Windham has won in a variety of styles across its first four games, including a 40-38 victory over Winnacunnet on Dec. 15 and a 80-67 win over Manchester Central on Dec. 18. Its only loss came to No. 3 Pinkerton by a seven-point margin, though senior guard Tyler Jordan (21 points) and junior wing Sam Roidoulis (20 points) both held up their ends of the scoring output. The team’s depth will be tested out of the break against Exeter.
The next five: Hanover, Pelham, Salem, Winnacunnet, Merrimack
